Bears Show Balance In Final Exhibition

BERKELEY – Playing in front of its first Haas Pavilion crowd of the 2019-20 season, the Cal women's basketball team came away with a 79-55 win over visiting Vanguard in Sunday's afternoon exhibition.  For different players scoring in double-figures for the Golden Bears, who played their final tune-up before officially opening the new season on Friday at Harvard. Senior center CJ West and junior forward Alaysia Styles led the Bears with 15 points apiece while Jaelyn Brown (12 points), Evelien Lutje Schipholt (10 points) all added double-digit scoring in the victory.

"We're excited to get the win and excited we got to play a lot of different people," said Cal head coach Charmin Smith. "We were able to try some different things both offensively and defensively. We have a lot of work to do, but I'm very pleased with the effort and where we are thus far as we get ready to start the season."

After opening their exhibition slate last weekend with a 95-77 win over Beijing Normal University, the Bears got off to a strong defensive start on Sunday afternoon, outscoring the visiting Lions, 15-5, in the opening quarter. Vanguard started to find its touch in the second quarter, but Cal took a 36-24 lead into the locker room thanks to a dominant paint presence. West and Lutje Schipholt had eight points apiece in the first half, going a combined 7-for-10 from the floor to open the game. A junior from San Diego, Styles made her presence felt in the paint as well, scoring seven of her 15 points in the first half.

Cal outscored Vanguard, 58-12, in the paint on the afternoon and grabbed 29 offensive rebounds. Brown, the lone returning starter for the Bears from last season, was dominant on the glass and led all players with 10 rebounds on the day, including seven offensive rebounds. Brown also chipped in 10 points, four assists, and two steals to secure the double-double.

The Bears continued to add to their advantage in the second half, outscoring the Lions, 34-24, over the final 20 minutes of action. Freshman point guard Leilani McIntosh scored all six of her points in the second half, while also proving to be a disruptive force on the defensive end with three steals. Redshirt senior Sara Anastasieska led the Bears with five assists on the afternoon, also chipping in seven points.  

The Golden Bears open the 2019-20 season on the road, taking on Harvard at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Friday evening. The season-opener against the Crimson will be available for viewing on ESPN+. Cal continues its East Coast road trip on Sunday, November 10, playing perennial power UConn at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut.

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